On the top of the stack of books I'm reading now is Irène Némirovsky's Suite Française, a novel that takes place in France just as the Germans seize Paris in June, 1940. I'm only halfway through the novel now, but I'm engrossed in its contrast of the war's crazy beauty and horror, certainty and improvisation, and, of course, good and evil. Living my insular life as an American so many years later, it's hard to imagine what World War II must have been like for the average Parisian. Jean Patou L'Heure Attendue and Lucien Lelong Orgueil, both released in 1946 to commemorate the end of the war, bring an inkling of the feeling of relief and joy that the war's end brought.

L'Heure Attendue means "the awaited hour" in French, and according to the booklet that accompanied the 1984 Jean Patou Ma Collection, which includes L'Heure Attendue, the awaited hour was the Liberation, when "the mists have blown away, night is no more and the sun has risen again"...

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Numerous times over the past couple years, readers have emailed or commented to tell me that Donna Karan had discontinued Black Cashmere (and for anyone who missed the news yesterday, it is, in fact, a goner). How did they know? A sales associate told them.

Rule no. 1: never believe a sales associate who tells you a fragrance is discontinued.

I can't even count the number of times I've been told by a sales associate that something was discontinued when it wasn't. I can only assume they are repeating what they've been told, but I would never, ever believe a sales associate who tells you something has been discontinued.

This is as true in swanky brand boutiques as it is in Macy's...

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Fresh Scents by Terri is going out of business, and everything at the website is marked down.

Comme des Garçons has discontinued the Sweet series. (via luckyscent)

L'Artisan Parfumeur has discontinued its Jour de Fête fragrance and the Mood Swings coffret.

Also on the way out: the 50 ml sizes of Navegar, Tubereuse and Safran Troublant, and as previously reported, the 50 ml size of Dzing!.

L'Artisan has apparently ceased production on the 50 ml size of Dzing!, and the 100 ml size is slated to be discontinued at some unknown future date. You can read more at Aromascope, and thanks to Ina for permission to cross-post.

This is very discouraging news. Dzing! is weirdly brilliant and something of a cult favorite, and although we've never reviewed it, Angela has featured it twice: see Perfume Confession and The Leather Sisters.

I did not do a full scale search, but the 50 ml is still in stock at aedes, beautycafe and luckyscent.

Update: the 100 ml size of Dzing! is NOT discontinued.

Barbara Bui Le Parfum has been discontinued. Many thanks to Marina of Perfume Smellin' Things for the news, and you can read her review of Barbara Bui here.

Caron's Violette Précieuse, a 1913 fragrance by perfumer Ernest Daltroff that was the favorite of many violet fans before it was discontinued, is back on the market. The French Sephora site has it in stock (and says it is an exclusive) for 51,30€ for 50 ml of Eau de Parfum.

Update: by all accounts, Violette Précieuse has been reformulated and is quite different from the original. Try before you buy!

Parfums Delrae has discontinued the Eau de Toilette version of Debut (why don't they ever ask me first?) and introduced a new Eau de Parfum concentration. The new scent, and limited quantities of the old, can be found at lusciouscargo.

Thanks to Ashne for the news that Yosh has discontinued the La Contessa fragrance. There appear to be bottles still available at lacremebeauty.